Myers Park High School junior Jack Walker has verbally committed to swim for the University of Virginia beginning in the 2019-2020 season. Walker is the current North Carolina High School 4A champion in the 200 freestyle.

“I chose the University of Virginia for its unmatched academic prowess, outstanding team camaraderie, and the energy that Todd DeSorbo and his staff bring to the pool deck. WA-HOO-WA!”

At the 2017 NCHSAA 4A State Championships, Walker won the 200 free (1:39.61), anchored the 200 free relay to fifth place (21.07), and led off the fourth-place 400 free relay (46.61). He swims year-round for SwimMAC Carolina where he is the current North Carolina Swimming 15-16 record-holder in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles; he also holds the 15-18 record in the 200 free. At the 2017 Speedo Winter Junior Championships East, he finished 7th in the 50 free, 9th in the 100 free, 3rd in the 200 free, and 13th in the 500 free. The previous December he had touched 2nd in the 200 free with 1:33.74, thus becoming the second-fastest 15-16 swimmer of all-time in the event.

Walker is a nice pick-up for UVA, who finished sixth at the 2017 ACC Men’s Championships. His best time in the 200 free would have put him squarely in the A final, where he would have been the lone Cavalier on the starting blocks. He also would have scored in the B final of the 100/500 free,

Top SCY times:

50 Free: 20.10

100 Free: 43.52

200 Free: 1:33.74

500 Free: 4:22.95

1000 Free: 9:37.50

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

Those Winter Jr Nats 2016 were exciting, in general that December 2016 was exciting: on an Italian forum I wrote great things about three millenials: Drew Kibler, Jack Dolan (he performed very well at Winter Nats) and the most improved of everybody, Jack Walker.
The surrounding 13 months haven’t been so exciting, as swimming results, for the three youngsters, particularly for Walker, but all can happen in the future and I hope that Walker can live again that “swimming magician” very soon.

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swim/swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …